


the bar is near and the champagne's for free

by BetterThanFirewhiskey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus & Rose & Scorpius friendship, Albus is his bro pal, F/M, He's brooding, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Just Scorpius thinking about things at his sister's wedding, Mostly about past Scorpius/Rose, This isn't really about anything, Wedding, this was written really quickly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:53:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetterThanFirewhiskey/pseuds/BetterThanFirewhiskey
Summary: "He spends a lot of time thinking about what Rose was, instead of what she is. What she is now that she's not his. Now that she’s with someone else. "or, Scorpius is broody at a wedding. thats literally it.





	the bar is near and the champagne's for free

Rose was always the most beautiful girl in the room. With her merlot curls and warm Bambi eyes, she would capture everybody’s attention instantly. She was shining starlight surrounded by mere fireflies. She was the girl you could take home to your mother, but also the girl you could go quick and dirty with in the bathroom right before. 

He spends a lot of time thinking about what Rose was, instead of what she is. What she is now that she's not his. Now that she’s with someone else.  

Scorpius can't help but watch as she walks inside, smiling brightly as she greets the happy couple at the entrance, Lorcan's arm wrapped loosely around her waist. He feels like some kind of creeper, watching them from the back of the tent. He can see her leaning slightly into his side as they chat to James and Cassie, and he remembers how she likes to keep some kind of physical contact, just to reassure her that he's still there. Scorpius thought it was a little odd at first, but he grew to rely on it too. He just didn't realise it until she was gone.  

They finish talking to James, and head over to their table, Rose laughing brightly at something that Lorcan said, and in Scorpius’s head, the only word there is 'wanker'. He always liked Lorcan at Hogwarts, they got along well. He didn't even know that he and Rose had kept in touch after school, but he supposes that they always had that connection because of their families.  

It's not like he didn't expect it, her to move on. Their break up was mutual, two people with lives that simply diverged too much to be practical for any longer. That's what he said when he'd approached the subject. He could only blame himself, really. He was the one that brought it up. She cried for a little bit, agreed that it was for the best, and within two days, her stuff was gone, and their –  _his_  flat was empty. Her paintings were gone from the walls, her make-up gone from the sink, and the mountains of clothes gone from the wardrobe. He was surprised by the overwhelming sense of nothing that he felt. Not relief, not sadness, just nothing.  

That was nearly six months ago. He thought he was over it, but seeing her now, sharing her slice of wedding cake with Lorcan Scamander – he looks away when they kiss though, that's not something he wants to see.  

When he looks back, there’s a figure blocking his view. Probably a good thing since he can hear her light bell laughter again, and he has to loosen his grip on his champagne glass. 

“Thought you were going to pass on the reception.” Albus shoots him a lazy grin as he sits down in one of the vacant seats. After all, he has his pick of them, since Scorpius’s been sitting alone at the table since he arrived, his only company the rotating servers stopping to refill his drink. 

“Cassie talked me into it.” He replies, glancing over at his sister. Cassie hasn’t left James’ side since the reception started, but that wasn’t much of a change from the past six years. “Something about having her favourite brother make a speech.” 

“You know, I heard the exact same thing from James.” Albus taps his glass against Scorpius’s in cheers. “ _Are_ you going to say anything?” 

Scorpius shrugs. “Depends on who else says anything.”  _Depends if Rose says anything._  

Albus knew what he meant, of course he did. He put up with their pining all through Hogwarts, and then he put up with Scorpius’s indifferent behaviour when they broke up.  

The problem being a group of three best friends, there’s always one who gets caught in the middle. It was Scorpius when Albus and Rose had their familial spats, and it was Rose when it came to Albus and Scorpius’ more often than not, petty, arguments. Of course, now they they’re out of school, it’s a little easier for Albus to be in the middle. Scorpius is pretty sure that he’d rather not have to split his time between his two best friends, and have to watch not to mention each other’s names when in the other’s company, but Scorpius doesn’t have it in him to feel bad.  

Albus natters on about some guest who was eyeing him up during the wedding, clearly supposed to distract him, but it doesn’t work, because Scorpius can see Rose and Lorcan talking quietly to each other, their heads close together at one of the tables. His arm is draped around her pale shoulders, and one of her hands is resting on his thigh.  

God, Scorpius wants to throw up. Or throw something.  

"How did they get together then?" He interrupts Albus, attempting to be casual. It doesn’t matter though, Albus can see right through him. He always could.  

"She was sleeping on mine and Jake's couch when she moved out, and Lorcan offered her the spare room at his place."  

He appreciates Albus’s honesty.  

"Oh." 

“Yeah.” 

The table goes silent again, and Scorpius realises his glass is empty again, and instead of signalling the nearest server for another refill, he gets up abruptly.  

“Where are you going?” 

“I need something stronger than this damn champagne.” He replies, striding across the tent to the small golden bar, complete with a fancy bartender who smiles when he approaches.  

“What can I get you, sir?”  

“I –”

“Bourbon, neat.”  

He can smell her before he sees her, the same heady scent of smoky wood and wildflowers, so entirely her that he’s transported straight to their first kiss. All the way back when they were fourteen, he resembled a baby giraffe, still growing into his lanky limbs, and she was still having trouble controlling her mass of curls. They’ve come so far since then, like completely different people.  

Scorpius barely registers the bartender sliding a drink over. He can’t breathe suddenly because Rose is right there, standing next to him, her plum lips curved in a slight smile. He can’t breathe because around her neck is the silver chain, the emerald studded infinity charm resting between her delicate collarbones. The good luck charm he bought her when they graduated. The one she never took off.  

She’s still wearing it. 

 


End file.
